The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 385: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ne Ieee eG, eee “ HE MYSTERIES. sit eoth, now covering his countenance with his hands: and for upwards of a minute he remained in this position—silent and motionless. “I saw that it was @ pauper-coffin in which she lay,” he continued, at length revealing his features again — those fea- tures which were now so hideous in their pallor, ‘39 ghastly in their expression of mingled an- guish and horror: “and it was not difficult to conjecture how she had died, or how her re- mains had found the rites of sepulture. Misery and starvation had done the former—the cold charity of the parish had done the latter. Bat { will not dwell upon the churchyard scene of that dreadful night. Suflice it to say that onee @ore did the curse rise op from the depths of wy soul—that curse which had sprung into ex- istence when I found that my family had been turned adrift on the wide world: yes—this fearful curse did I now renew—adopt again—and swear to carry out to the best of my ability! I sought to steel my soul against all pity and all remorse: my wife was murdered by the cruel laws and institu- tions of which I had been first made the victim— aod a terrible retaliation could alone appease my thirst for vengeance. Vengeance, then, would I havet Need I tell you that I restored the remains of my poor wife to their last resting-place—and that I repeated over her grave the oath I had sworn to avenge her? Then I quitted the church- yard; and at a short distance I met a well dressed man dragging himself along in a state of almost helpless intoxication. I recollected that I had no money left —and I robbed him of the little money which he had about him. He was too powerless to offer resistance—and I did not hurt him. But I hurried away, rejoicing in this new crime: for I saw that it was useless for an outcast wretch such as I to endeavour even to be good. Nevertheless, when the excitement of these exploits began to wear away and the inevitable influence of reaction came, I once more carsed the destiny which branded me like a second Cain; and I would have given worlds, had I possessed them, to undo the deed of the robbery. But remorse was useless and unavailing: and, behold! in a few days the infernal hallucination came back again—and in the depth of the night to another charcbyard did I wend my way. Once more did I pass through the hideous ordeal of a frightful conflict with all my better feelings—and once more did the infuriate demon that was within me, triumph over the last efforts of my guardian genius to save me. The wire of the spring-gun was found and cut, as on the former occasion—-a grave was opened—a corse was torn up—and, inspired with a diabolical rare and a demoniac fury, I hacked and hewed it with the shovel. Then I fell into a stupor, which lasted for two or three hours—I know not exactly how long; and on starting up, I was seized with a horror so profound—an anguish so intense—a panic so insu- perable, that, forgetful of the dangers which envi- roned me, I turned to flee from the scene of my atrocious pastime. Yes—I turned and fled: but in a moment there was an explosion—I had trod- den upon the wire whence I had previously cut a portien away—and my body reeeived the contents of the accursed spring-gun. O horror! what were my feelings at that moment! Ten million harrow- wg thoughts flashed through my brain swiftly as a Cight of arrows cleaves the air,—thoughts of cap- ture, trial, condemnation, and death upon the scaffold! Bat the next instant I shook myself like a dog on emerging from the water—and though in every part of my body [ experienced the tortures of the damned, I found that I was not completely disabled. Wragging myself from the grass inte the pathway, I stopped for a few moments to bind up the only wound that was bleeding very seri- ously ;—and then, with a celerity that was marvel- lous considering the shocking state I was in, I rushed from the scene of my crime and its punish- ment. An alarm was already raised in the neigh- bourhood by the explosion of the gun: but I got off in safety—-and as the pain caused by my wounds was presently succeeded by a strange numbness all over my frame, I was enabled to drag myself along through the bye-streets into which I had -entered. It was in the north-western suburbs of London that my exploit of this memorable night had taken place: and I bent my way toward the eastern dis- tricts. In fine, at the expiration of about three hours I entered the maze of wretched streets, filthy alleys, and vile courts which constitute White- chapel; and, almost perishing with exhaustion, I sank down on the door-step of a large building which looked gloomy as a prison in the obecurity of the night. It proved to be the workhouse— and when the door opened, I demanded admission. This was granted when it was understood that I had been severely wounded,—and to account for which I invented some tale. Bat, behold! it was destined by providence that beneath the roof of the pauper asylum I should meet my own children, whom neqessity had rendered inmates there.” ‘In the workhouse?” exclaimed Meagies, more and more interested in the strange, wild, and scarcely credible narrative to which he was listening. “Yes—in the workhouse—the pauper’s home!” returned Melmoth bitterly. ‘“ But I was rejoiced ‘to meet them anywhere, poor things !—for their mother had been taken from them by the hand of Death. And then I learnt that the babe was also dead—and that a surgeon had taken the infant's corpse, doubtless to preserve it in his pharmacy : and I vowed in my soul that the berbariaa should not go unpunished. I learnt also that my poor wife had breathed her last on the steps of a great mansion at the West End: and I made another vow, to the effect that the inmates of the lordly dwelling should likewise be marked out as the objects of my future vengeance. To be brief, the very surgeon who took my dead child, was one day brought by the parish doctor to see me at the workhouse; and the nature and number of my wounds led to the discovery that I was the monster whose deeds had so lately stricken the entire com- munity with horror. I was removed to a mad-cell and treated as a maniac of the most desperate class. But a revolt of my fellow-lanatics led to my eman- cipation: and, accompanied by my children, I quitted the workhouse in safety. Nearly six weeks have elapsed since then——” “ And in the interval you have exercised a proper sontrol over your feelings and your actions?” said Meagies, with an eagerness which showed how rejoiced he would be at receiving an affirmative response: for amidst all the horror and loathing which he experienced for the anhappy wretch, there was blended a deep compassion—an immense pity ! en e SS GOH GOO